Sweet Cherries
by bluefurcape
Summary: An ongoing collection of kakasaku scenes.
1. New Hat

Prompt from the kakasaku Last Fan Standing challenge on Day 19.

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Sakura twirled around, showing off her new fur hat. The action caused an extraneous pair of ears on either side of her head to fly in a circle with her. Kakashi stared at the pieces that stretched down past her waist and ended in fuzzy pads made of the same fake fur.

He picked up one side with a question, "What kind of animal are you supposed to be?"

"I'm a wolf, duh," she said, pointing to the much shorter, pointed ears sitting on top of the furred hat. She tucked her hands into the pockets sewn into the rounded ends of the long pieces and raised them so they were by her face. "These are the paws! Grrr!"

Kakashi suppressed a smile that she still saw beneath his mask. She moved closer, wrapping the paws around his neck like a scarf. "I thought you liked wolves."

"I do," he murmured, brushed his nose against hers. "But they are pretty dangerous."

"Oh, very." She widened her green eyes. "The big bad wolf almost got the three little pigs, you know." A kiss was pressed into his jaw.

"Did he?" Kakashi's voice grew rough. His arms tightened around her middle. "Maybe I should hide in my house in case this gets too scary."

She rose to her tiptoes and whispered in his ear, enticing a shiver out of him, "Then I'll huff, and I'll puff, and I'll blow your house in."

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Note: SHRUG. I joined the kakasaku community on Dreamwidth and it looked fun. Be nice to me senpais.


	2. Growing Up

Day 20 of Last Fan Standing challenge on the kakasaku community on Dreamwidth!

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Growing Up

Kakashi walked in on his teenaged daughter painting her pink walls black. He leaned as casually as he could against the doorframe, hiding the alarm he felt at the sight. "Enna, why are you doing that?"

"Doing what?" she grunted back, not looking at him.

"Making your room so scary."

"I want to obtenerate my room, Dad, because it reflects how I look on the inside." Enna slapped the roller against the pink, covering more of the sweet color her mother had chosen for her when they'd moved to the house.

"Oh. Okay." Kakashi slowly backed out of the room and retreated to the downstairs kitchen where he found Sakura calmly sipping tea. He gestured uselessly towards the general direction that he came from. "Did you see…?"

"Yep."

"And we're just going to let her do this?"

"Mhm."

Kakashi sighed and went to find himself a mug. He put more water into the kettle, listening to the sound of it filling the hollow metal. His little girl had blossomed into an angsty teen. He was not looking forward to what the combination of his and Sakura's flair for dramatics would produce.

He fixed himself some tea and joined his wife. They sipped their drinks in silence until Kakashi finally asked, "What does obtenebrate mean?"


	3. His Brand

Day 21 of Last Fan Standing

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Illness did not become the Copy Nin.

Sakura nudged aside the mountains of laundry, books, and empty boxes that seemed to have sprung up overnight in Kakashi's bedroom. She scowled when her excavation of his bed turned up pillows and a melted bag of once frozen peas. A trail of empty cold medicine bottles led her to the bathroom, where there was still no sign of him.

Someone loudly sneezed behind the shower curtain.

She seized one end of it, drawing it back. "Sensei, I told you to stay put while I went grocery shopping!"

"Shhh, can't you see I'm busy?" Kakashi had climbed precariously onto the tiny ledge meant for toiletries, displacing bottles of shampoo and shower gel in the process. "I'm testing my balance," he said seriously.

"I'm taking you back to bed." Sakura stepped into the tub and took hold of his waist, lifting him out with her augmented strength.

"Oh, strong," he swooned, giggling.

She carried him, princess style, back to the bedroom and deposited him on his blankets. He immediately burrowed beneath, patting the spot next to him on the narrow mattress. "I have a story to tell you."

"I have to make your soup. Don't you want to get better?"

"I'm not sick," he scoffed. Blindly, he searched between his sheets, producing a half full bottle of cold medicine. Sakura marched over and slapped it out of his hand. "My brand," he mourned.

"I'll go get your soup," she said, sighing.

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Note: Can you tell I live to make Kakashi as stupid as possible?


	4. The Room Where It Happens

Day 22 of Last Fan Standing

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The Room Where It Happens

There were, quite frankly, suspicious noises coming from Sakura's bedroom.

Naruto had barged in earlier, announcing it was time to hang out, for the sake of friendship and cultivating personal bonds. Sai followed through the door, ready to learn. About friendship.

Sakura's apartment was empty. That wasn't about to deter the future Hokage, and just as Naruto gathered a considerable amount of air in his lungs to shout her name, there was a high pitched yelp from the bedroom, followed by a breathy, "Not so hard, sensei!"

Both Naruto and Sai looked to the bedroom door where the sound had come from.

Naruto made an about-face, cheeks completely red. "Uh, well, I don't think she's home. Maybe another time?"

"I'm sure I heard her. Is there something wrong with your hearing?" Sai obliviously beelined for the bedroom. Just as he was about to knock, Naruto tackled him to the ground.

"No, idiot! There's nothing wrong with my hearing. This is called a social cue. Do you understand? We don't bother people when they're canoodling in privacy!" Naruto shook Sai by the shoulders, the words falling out in a hiss, disregarding the fact that he'd invited himself into the apartment only moments earlier. "She'll kill us—she'll kill us dead!"

"Naruto, may I point out that it's redundant to say she will kill us until we are dead?"

"Please shut up." Naruto grabbed the scruff of Sai's collar, turning to leave.

They both froze, met face to face with Sakura standing in the now open doorway, wearing an oversized shirt over tiny shorts, her hair wildly sticking out. From the gap, he saw Kakashi sitting on her bed, casually raising a hand in greeting.

That's it. It was every man for himself.

Naruto threw Sai at the pink haired kunoichi, making a break for it.

"What the—" Sakura exclaimed as she instinctively caught the person suddenly chucked at her. She set Sai down and peered after the direction Naruto had taken. "Is he all right?"

"He thought you and Kakashi were having sex," Sai said without blinking an eye

"We were making a dresser."

"Sorry, is that a new euphemism for something?"

"No," Sakura said, stepping aside so that he could see the parts of the furniture piled on the floor. "We were literally making a dresser."

"I see. Well, it seems you are too busy for an outing today. We will try again tomorrow."

"I should be free. Also, please tell Naruto that normal people knock."

"Shinobi should never knock."

"Goodbye, Sai."

Sakura closed the bedroom door again, chuckling to herself about Naruto's reaction. "What an idiot."

"I know, right?" Kakashi squinted at the directions that seemed to be written in another language…because it was written in another language. He had picked the wrong side. "The kid's got a dirty mind."

"Tell me about it."

"We'll have sex after we make the dresser."


	5. Satisfied

Satisfied

The wedding was beautiful. A dream. Fresh flowers decorated the seating area, bursting with color, each bouquet the result of months of agonized decision making. When it came time for the bride to make her entrace, the lights went out and a clever jutsu ignited the lanterns, casting a hazy golden glow over friends and family. I looked at the woman across from me as we waited outside of the door. She fussed with her veil.

"Are you ready?" I asked softly.

"I don't know," she whispered, her green eyes glossy with nervous tears. "Everyone is waiting out there, sensei."

"They're waiting for you." I offered my arm. "You look lovely."

Just moments before, I had found Sakura hiding in an empty office, face buried in her hands. "I can't do this alone. Will you walk me down the aisle?" she asked me.

Even though I had actually been trying to escape myself, even though I refused the same request months before because it was too awkward, I said yes. It was worth it to see her smile.

The moment the doors opened and her eyes met with her future husband's, all signs of doubt vanished. She no longer leaned on me, resting her hand on my arm lightly. Her steps were confident as we made our way down the aisle. There were sighs in the audience as they watched her pass. Without thinking, my hand tightened on hers for just a moment when we reached the end. She turned to me in surprise, the glittering veil around her head rustling. My mouth opened, the words I wanted to say nearly falling out.

I love you.

Don't do this.

I realized that now the attention was on me. My gaze switched from Sakura to Sasuke, waiting behind her. He was the only one who wasn't looking at me, his focus fixed on the woman he loved. I knew then as I had concluded before, he would tear through armies just to get the _chance_ to fight me if I ever convinced her to choose to me instead. That would break her heart, to watch the two people she considered family come at each other with fists and kunai. I could never do that to her.

"Congratulations," I murmured, before going to find my seat next to Naruto.

Tsunade officiated. Vows were said. They were married, joined in matrimony and in the eyes of Konoha law. Then the reception was held. It was another thing I couldn't slip away from when Naruto dragged me to the dinner table where our names were written on tiny cards in Sakura's perfect handwriting.

People volunteered to speak on behalf of the couple. Sakura laughed, she cried, she choked on her champagne and turned red. Inside, the last of any life I felt was turning to dust.

"Sensei! Speech! Speech!" A drunk Naruto pounded the table, clattering plates and silverware. Those nearby heard and agreed, joining him in his chant. His grin widened as he reveled in the peer pressure. He nudged me with his shoulder.

I stood, clearing my throat, holding up my glass. "My first impression of you two was that I hated you. Now I hate you less. Good job."

There was a chorus of boo's.

I sighed and continued. "You are fine shinobi and the best of students. Well, one of you was a good student." At this, Naruto loudly snorted. "I couldn't have asked for anything more. I hope you will be satisfied with what marriage brings you."

I really did. I really hoped they would be satisfied.

Because I never would be.

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Note: Hello! Thank you for reading. I like practicing and warming up with drabbles, but I'm horrible at coming up with ideas. If you have any prompts, please send them along in a PM or even a review (if you're feeling generous.) xoxo


	6. One More

One More

"Wife." Kakashi set a beautifully wrapped box of pastries down on the table.

"Yes, husband?" Sakura sipped her coffee.

"Please." He nudged the pastries over to her.

Silence was his answer.

"Just one more." He took her hand, squeezing it. "We should have one more."

"Kakashi, we're going crazy with just two." She took her hand back. As she said this, two boys with too much energy and intelligence, a dangerous combination in children, ran screaming into the kitchen and back out. A small explosion in the yard followed shortly that didn't even make their parents blink an eye. "You all right, kids?" she called out.

A high pitched chorus of "Yeeeees" answered. Also, "We didn't break anything!"

"But we don't have a daughter. Think about it, she'd be so cute and sweet, just like you," Kakashi continued.

"Me? Cute and sweet?" Sakura snorted. "Are you sure you married me?"

He pouted.

"I'm not sure," she said, shrugging.

"Come onnnnn." He prowled around the table, wrapping his arms around her. He nuzzled her neck. "We'll have a lot of fun trying," he nearly crooned.

Sakura made a noise, sounding distracted. "This won't do you any good."

"I can be very persuasive when I want to be." He scooped her up, princess style. He smirked at her yelp and the hand that clutched his shirt.

Sakura looked down, avoiding his eye. "No, I'm serious. There's no point in trying."

Alarm bells went off. "Um…is something wrong? Are you sick?"

She laughed softly, taking his face in both hands and kissing him. "We're perfectly healthy."

"So what's the matter—" Oh. Oh. Did she just say ' _We're_ perfectly healthy?' He tightened his hold on her. "That was mean."

"It might be a boy, you know."

"That just means we can keep trying." He grinned.

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Note: Still taking prompts if you have any! I just watched that super sad scene where Obito and Kakashi fight and I needed the fluff to heal myself.


	7. Drinking Contest

This is a prompt from the wonderful WhiteScarecrow. I have one more from them to draft up!

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Drinking Contest

"Drink! Drink! Drink!" Sakura's friends chanted as she took another shot.

The alcohol burned the back of her throat and all the way down to her belly, where it sat like an ember. She wiped her mouth, pointing at Kakashi. "Ha!"

"I think she's forgotten why we're doing this…" he murmured to himself as he took a lightning fast gulp of his drink.

Moments ago, a good portion of Konoha had converged on the rumors that there was going to be an incident at the Haruno residence. The couple was headed there to inform Sakura's parents that they planned to get married.

"You are too old for her!" Sakura's father, Mako, bellowed as he flipped the small table.

"Sir, I love her and she loves me," Kakashi replied, bowing low. "We are shinobi—small things such as age do not matter in our way of life. Please accept our marriage."

"This is why I didn't want you to enter the academy!" Mako growled. "Their 'way of life' skews their entire way of thinking."

"Dear, I think you're overreacting." Sakura's mother, Aiko, put a hand on her husband's arm. "She said she wants this too—"

"She's too young to know what she wants," Mako interrupted.

" _Dad_."

"I can't let you run off with some man who I'm not sure can take care of you." Mako laced his fingers together and rested his chin on them. To Kakashi he said, "Do you think you're strong enough to love a Haruno woman?"

Sakura wanted to die.

Mako's eyes narrowed. Out of nowhere, he produced an enormous bottle of sake and set it on the mat floor. "If you can outdrink me, you may marry my daughter."

Before Kakashi could accept, Sakura tugged on his sleeve. "My dad is an insane drinker—you'll get alcohol poisoning."

"Don't worry about me. My liver can take a beating." He smiled and since his mask was off for the occasion, it was devastating. All of the Haruno's blushed.

"Enough talk!" Mako seemed to grow more enraged by Kakashi's handsomeness. He poured out two cups and then looked up in surprise when Sakura set down a third. "What's this?"

"I knew you would do something like this. So let's get something straight, this isn't some macho fight for my virtue. I'll win for myself and when I do, Dad, you can't say anything more about my choice."

Sakura's choice nodded from his place beside her. "That sounds reasonable."

"Fine." Mako scowled, filling his daughter's cup.

Later, with bottles strewn about them, and many of Konoha's citizens piling in through the backyard, Mako, Sakura, and Kakashi were still going strong.

"I don't like the look of you. Too pretty! What are you—you're heartbreaker aren't you?" Mako squinted, jabbing a finger at Kakashi.

"Noooo, I 'm not. I'm a very faithful person." Kakashi clutched his own face. "I can't help the way I look. It's a curse."

"Don't let him talk to you like that—I think you're quite a catch," Aiko said, laughing. She'd drunk a few cups herself.

"Stay away from my wife," Mako said.

"I'm fine with that, but can I make Sakura my wife then?"

"I said no."

Sakura lifted the sake bottle. "Everyone shut up and take another drink."

Naruto broke through the crowd, panting. "I just heard what was happening! I can't believe I missed so much of it."

Mako stomped over to Naruto, throwing an arm around him. "See, Sakura, this is who you should marry. Future Hokage!"

"I was Hokage for a while," Kakashi piped up.

"What? Really?" Mako scratched his head. "That's actually impressive. Here Naruto, have a drink."

"Why do I have to—" Naruto protested as the cup was forced on him. He grimaced, taking a tiny sip.

Kakashi pointed out the window towards the Hokage Monument. "That's my face there on the right."

Mako squinted. "That doesn't look like you."

"That's what I kept telling the artist." Kakashi sighed.

Mako gestured to the painting framed on the wall. "Aiko had this portrait made of our family. Everyone looks amazing in it but me." True to his word, little Sakura looked cute as a button and her mother was stunning. Mako, on the other hand, was painted like he ate too much salt and cried a lot the night before. "She insists on keeping it up."

"I was wondering about that, but I didn't want to be rude." Kakashi nodded in sympathy. Then, discreetly he asked Sakura, "Can we just do a regular photograph for our family?"

"How many grandkids are you planning to give me?" Aiko asked.

"Kami, I want like, seven kids." Kakashi tipped his head back, downing another cup.

Sakura guffawed. "I didn't know you liked kids so much."

"I _hate_ —I mean generally they're not really my thing. But my own I think I'd like them better. Also, I was pretty lonely growing up." He sniffed.

"Me too," Sakura said softly.

"I love you so much," he said, leaning in.

"My parents."

"Ah. Oh wait, you're dad is asleep. Now's my chance." He pecked her on the cheek. "Don't tell him…it'll be our little…" He fell, face forward into her lap. She giggled and stroked his hair.

"I guess you win?" Aiko turned her husband over so that he wouldn't suffocate in his sleep. "Ridiculous man. He was so devastated when I mentioned you'd be coming over today with your fiance."

Sakura turned Kakashi over too. "What do you think, mom?"

"He seems like a fine man."

"I think so too—but you know how I am. I have all these insecurities. Marriage is just such a big deal." Sakura's romantic soul only wanted to be married once and that meant getting it right the very first time. That was a lot of pressure.

"Sweetie, I never told you this, but when the last war ended, you were nowhere to be found. I was so desperate to have any news about you—whether you were dead or alive. I couldn't bear not knowing what had become of you. I was down at the hospital, Hokage Tower, anywhere you could think of, searching for scraps of information." Aiko wiped away a tear. "Everyday, I saw the same name in the request logs, right above mine: 'Hatake Kakashi.' I was curious to know who he had lost—imagine my surprise. He never stopped looking for you either."

"He never told me that," Sakura whispered.

"Big ol' softie. I knew it," Naruto murmured from his place on the floor, lying flat, unable to stand after two cups. "Copy Nin? More like…more like…Snuggly Nin." He snickered at his own joke.

Sakura bent down and pressed a kiss on Kakashi's forehead. He stirred. "Wha happened?" he asked.

"You won," she replied.

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Note: As always, I'm open for prompts! Also I went through like, 2 other version of this before I decided on this one. They were kind of nice and I might post them up some day because they were _drastically_ different from this one. However, I scrapped them when I wasn't feeling it so it's not even done lol. Had a lot of fun with this one!


	8. Prank

The second prompt from WhiteScarecrow! Thank you again!

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Prank

The Nanadaime skimmed through the reports he'd received with barely feigned interest. Successful espionage. Documents recovered. It all sounded good. Nothing less to be expected from his former teammates. He had his stamp of approval poised above the page when an unfamiliar name caught his eye. He squinted, leaning closer.

"Without the bravery of young Asahi, this mission could never have been completed. He displayed exceptional calm under pressure and was quick on his feet on more than one occasion," Naruto read out loud. He racked his mind for an Asahi, trying to put a face to the name. Kami, had he become such a shitty Hokage that he could no longer remember his own shinobi?

He pinched the bridge of his nose and looked to the clock. Way past closing time. He should have been home two hours ago. He closed the file, figuring he could finish up tomorrow.

A few months later, the next time Sakura and Kakashi submitted their report, the name came up again. Asahi. Naruto frowned. The man was even listed on the mission roster. Asahi Soichiro had apparently done a spectacular job, enough that Sakura listed in meticulous detail his contributions that she wrote he would be too modest to list on his own. Kakashi, too, expounded nothing but praise for the man.

Who the bleeping hell was Asahi?

Obviously, he had to uncover this. He would discreetly gather information about Asahi, find him, and see what all this fuss was about. How great could this dork be? He sounded like a tool, in Naruto's opinion.

Naruto tracked down Sakura in the hospital cafeteria. "Hey, Sakura-chan!"

"Hokaga-sama," she replied. She picked up a plastic tray and joined the line.

He laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Say it again."

"No. You only get one a day."

"I bet you didn't treat Tsunade like this," he grumbled. He got a tray of his own, taking a spot next to Sakura and moving down the food choices. He flinched at the sight of something stirring beneath the surface of a container of stew. "When did we approve lab experiments to be served in the cafeteria?"

"Budget cuts. Lab experiments are technically edible, you know."

"So funny. You're joking, right?"

"That stew was once Tenzou's brother."

"Stop it." Naruto's face turned green.

Sakura giggled, lightly nudging him with her shoulder. "What brings you down from the tower?"

"What, I can't come visit once in a while? I just came to congratulate you on your last mission. Sounds like it was a resounding success."

"Mhm."

"There were actually some things I wanted to go over with your team. Can you bring Kakashi and _Asahi_ to my office later?"

"You came all this way just to ask that?"

"Also, I wanted to eat Tenzou's brother."

Sakura glanced behind Naruto, shaking her head imperceptibly. He turned, seeing Tenzou standing there, utterly confused.

"Would you look at the time?" Naruto said too loudly. "I'm so busy doing Hokage things—See you later, Sakura-chan!" He disappeared in a whirl of robes, choosing to waste a lot of chakra, like an adult, rather than confront a social faux pas.

While Naruto waited for Sakura and Kakashi to show up, he requested old files to be brought up to him. His secretary heaved the formidable stack onto his desk, face red from exertion. Naruto craned his head back to see how high the files went. Kami help him.

Hours later, every inch of carpet was covered in paper, some dating back even to Naruto's days on Team Seven. Those ones, he felt safe to ignore, looking to more recent reports submitted to him. He held up one up in triumph. It was the earliest mention of Asashi he could find, from about a year ago.

Asahi, on several occasions, had been commended based on the recommendations of Sakura and Kakashi. He had a stellar record, no mentions of official discipline, and _only_ showed up on missions Sakura and Kakashi were supposed to be on by themselves. Panic flooded Naruto as he began to connect the dots.

When the two finally deigned to appear, they stood at the threshold of the door, watching their Hokage going mad.

"Bad time?" Kakashi asked.

"You!" Naruto jumped to his feet. "Of all the childish, asshole things to do—you guys MADE UP A SHINOBI?"

"Huh? Made up a shinobi?" Sakura played innocent, but she was too theatrical in her lies.

"Jig's finally up." Kakashi held out a hand to her. "Pay up. That was less than a year."

"Just another month and it would have been. This is so unfair." She sighed, pulling out her wallet.

"I'm going to freaking kill you two!" Naruto kicked the paper, making them fly into the air.

"In our defense, we were just trying to make sure you were actually reading the reports." Sakura smiled sheepishly.

Naruto dropped to his knees, rummaging through the pages until he found what he was looking for. He shoved it in their direction. "Do you fucking see this? 'Asahi' won Teacher of the Year as the write-in winner!"

"The children loved him." Kakashi nodded.

"He has a community medal for most good deeds done. How is that even possible?" Naruto dragged his hands down his face.

"People just started doing nice things in his name," Sakura said.

"I have parent complaints that he asked several women to marry him, only to dump them a few days later." Naruto weakly motioned to the corner where he thought those files were, his eyes closed.

"Not sure what that's about." Kakashi picked up the paper at his feet. "Look, it's the charity fund that got started when people thought Asahi had a terminal disease."

"Don't you feel bad about that at least?" Naruto begged.

"That money went to medical research. Why would we feel guilty?" Sakura leaned on Kakashi to get a better look.

"I quit. I quit!" Naruto threw off his Hokage robes. "Kakashi, you have to do the job again as my living predecessor."

"Uh, let's not be hasty, Nanadaime-sama." Kakashi held up his hands. "Asahi's really brought the village together. It's not necessarily a bad thing."

Naruto staggered over to his desk and collapsed into his chair. He spun in slow circles. "The village thinks I'm a joke."

"Nooo, no, no, no—Naruto. No. We love you. It was just a little prank," Sakura said.

"Right. What Sakura said," Kakashi said.

"Say it." Naruto stopped his spinning suddenly, narrowing his blue eyes on the Copy Nin.

"It was just a little prank?" Kakashi tried.

"The other thing!"

There was a sigh, followed by a brief silence. Kakashi looked around the room in case there was a camera hidden somewhere. He coughed. "We love you."

"Nanadaime-sama," Naruto said, prodding.

"Nanadaime-sama."

"And you two have to clean up this mess." Naruto stood then went over to pick up his discarded robes, dusting them off. He walked past them and headed home early for the first time in weeks.

Sakura and Kakashi exchanged glances. Well, it wasn't as if they weren't expecting to be punished for this.

Meanwhile, in the outskirts of the village, a young couple was opening their mail. Inside a package they received was a medal for bravery, engraved 'Asahi Soichiro.'

"Honey, he got another one." The wife held it to the light, perplexed.

"I guess put it with the others?" The husband took it and pinned it to the wall above the mantle, where there were other ribbons, medals, and plaques on display, all honoring their son born only a year ago.

"This village sure likes giving kids awards for doing nothing," he muttered.

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Note: I love messing with Naruto. Send me any prompts you have, lovely readers! Don't be shy. Wink wonk.


	9. Bad Dream

Prompt from Pariscores-it's a little different because I just had this interesting idea so it diverged from the prompt haha. Sorryyyy

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Bad Dream

It was raining.

He closed eyes, not feeling the drops falling on his face, soaking through the cloth of his mask. He couldn't feel anything anymore. It was a blessing, actually. He avoided looking down where the insides of his body were now spilling out. His breath came in wheezes, the coppery taste of blood in the back of his throat.

Hadn't he promised her a dance?

He couldn't differentiate between all of his little fantasies anymore. Perhaps he really had asked her for a dance, or maybe he'd done it in his head, where it was safe to love her. A smile quirked his lips. He was a coward.

He would die in this foreign land, his bones forgotten beneath the dirt. Would she wonder what became of him? It hurt to think that her life would go on without him, never knowing once how much she meant to him. Her life could be complete even if he faded away, a memory of the good old days.

He should have asked her to dance.

Kakashi jerked awake, the dream still lingering, haunting. He lay there, staring into the wall, his heart racing in his chest. The light was too dim so he was sure it wasn't time to get up yet. He blindly patted the nightstand for his phone. He squinted at the screen when it lit up with his lockscreen image, Sakura kissing him on the cheek. 5 A.M. He ran a hand down his face, feeling the rough stubble on his jaw.

He turned over, pulling his girlfriend into his arms. She had a night shift and he knew she had only just come to bed. He rested his chin atop her pink head as she murmured sleepily, "Why are you awake?"

"Bad dream," he replied.

She pulled back slightly, taking notice of the upset tone in his voice. She touched the moisture beneath his eyes. "You okay?"

"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry."

She wrapped herself closer to him. "Try to get more sleep then. Those teenagers will eat you alive if you're not at your best, Mr. Hatake."

"Yes, Dr. Haruno." He breathed in her scent, listening to the sound of her falling asleep before drifting off again.

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Note: Send a prompt if you wish!


	10. I Know

Second prompt from Pariscores!

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I Know

Sakura stared at the band of skin on her ring finger paler than the rest of her hand. Fuck.

She'd taken it off while they were moving furniture into the house and now she couldn't find it anywhere. She was so preoccupied by the missing symbol of her marriage that she only noticed now that the entire living room was already set up.

"Ta-da." Kakashi motioned to their work from the couch. A tired Yamato was sprawled next to him.

Sakura covered her face in her hands. "I wanted to vacuum before you guys brought this in."

"Oh. Sorry…"

"It's okay." She plugged in the vacuum that had been resting against the wall and began running it on the exposed areas of carpet. She lifted the couch with one hand into the air. Yamato yelped, clutching the cushion for dear life while Kakashi leaned back, his expression not changing once. Yamato's distress was invisible to her, all of her attention on the carpet in hopes of catching the glint of her ring.

She set down the couch, moving on to the other pieces of furniture. Yamato jumped off as soon as it was back on the floor and announced he should back to work. Kakashi enjoyed his break a little longer before following his friend out of the room to get more stuff out of the moving truck.

The rest of the day was spent cleaning, arranging, and setting up. With everything done, Sakura lay on the grass in their backyard, staring at her hand in despair. It was just the two of them in the house now. Yamato had gone home after dinner—their first dinner in their sweet little house. She clenched her hand into a fist, resting it against her forehead. She didn't want to admit to her husband how careless she'd been.

Kakashi stretched out next to her, hands behind his head. "I think I'm going to like it here."

She hid her face from him. "I did something stupid."

He made a questioning noise.

"I'm really sorry. I can't believe I did what I did," she continued.

"Uh, you're scaring me." He reached over, rubbing her arm.

"Ilostmyring."

Kakashi blinked. Sakura cringed as she waited for his response. Then, laughter that shook his whole body bubbled out of him. "Is that it? I thought it was going to be something worse than that." He reached into his pocket and pulled out Sakura's ring. "I kept it safe for you."

She snatched it out of his hand, slipping it on with a relieved sigh. She threw her arms around him, half climbing on top of him, pressing kisses on his face.

"Wait, what did you think I was going to say?" she asked, propping herself up.

"That you realized you'd made a mistake."

She rested her forehead against his, smiling widely. "You're cute."

"I know." He nodded sagely. "Do I get a reward for finding your ring?"

Her finger drew patterns on his chest as she whispered things in his ear that made him clutch her tighter. He swallowed hard.

"You're the best wife in the whole world," he said.

"I know."


	11. Confessions

Prompt from Danny Bunny!

* * *

Confessions

Kakashi had a new rival.

"Sensei!" a young boy called out as he trailed after Sakura. She turned, already smiling. The afternoon light kissed her silhouette in an outline of gold. The boy grinned stupidly, forgetting what he had been about to say. Kakashi didn't blame him. He resisted the urge to whistle at her in wonder, as one would the sunrise.

"Did you have a question, Yosuke?" she asked.

Her student stammered and fidgeted with his fingerless gloves. His eyes shifted, too nervous to look at her directly. Yet, all semblance of being nervous vanished at the sight of Kakashi. Yosuke crossed his arms.

Kakashi walked past the kid, ruffling his hair as he did. Sakura met him in the middle. "Are you here to walk me home?" she asked.

"I can do that," Yosuke piped up, shooting Kakashi a glare.

"Why don't we drop Yosuke off first, then?" she said.

Kakashi shrugged, pulling out his Icha Icha from his vest. He followed a few steps after them as they discussed the training they had done earlier during the day. Sakura laughed, clearly delighting in being a teacher. Kakashi was sure she was doing a far better job than he ever did. When they reached Yosuke's house, the boy stood rooted before his front gate.

"Bye, Yosuke! See you tomorrow," Sakura said, waving.

"Sensei." Yosuke balled his hands into fists at his side. His voice had gone quiet, a complete change from the boisterous chatter from before. He ran to her and pulled her arm so that she had to bend to his level. His lips puckered up as he planted them on hers.

Sakura cried out in surprise, flinching back. Her horrified eyes went from Yosuke to Kakashi and back again. She recovered quickly and smiled in apology, patting his hand. "I'm flattered, but I'm a little too old for you."

Yosuke pulled his hand away. "So is he," he said, jerking his head at Kakashi.

"That's different. We're both adults."

"I love you now. I'll love you even when I'm an adult!" He scowled, kicking the dirt. "Has he ever said that to you?"

She blinked and straightened, not having a response to that. They'd only begun dating recently. It was far too early to say something so…serious. Awkwardly, she avoided looking at Kakashi. "It's kind of different when you're our age."

"If he's too scared to say it, then he doesn't deserve you," Yosuke declared.

Kakashi came to stand next to Sakura. "You're completely right. Sakura, I love you."

Her head snapped to him so quickly the bones in her neck popped. She smacked his arm. "Don't tease my student."

"What?" Kakashi rubbed the sore spot. "I do love you."

A pretty blush made her entire face glow as her lips parted in disbelief. "Are you serious?"

"Completely."

She forgot they were in public. She yanked down his mask to kiss him with everything she had. His arms went around her, practically lifting her from the ground. When they broke apart, both of them were panting.

"I'm gonna go home them," a very embarassed Yosuke announced, fleeing into his house.

"Crap, we traumatized him. I'm a terrible teacher," Sakura said.

"I certainly never made out with someone in front of you." Kakashi replaced his mask, hiding his slightly kiss bruised mouth.

She shot him a sidelong glance. "It's your fault for saying romantic things out of nowhere like that."

"What can I say? I just love you a lot."

"Shush." Sakura blushed again. "You keep saying that and we'll be cited for public indecency."

He leaned over so that only she could hear. "I love you. Do you love me?"

She shivered, lacing a hand into his. This was a man famous for his secrecy and being emotionally withdrawn. She thought of the months that had led up to this moment, how difficult it had been for both of them to admit their attraction. He was telling her outright how he felt, like it was the easiest thing in the world, but there was tension in his jaw that betrayed his worry. She closed what little gap there was left between them. "I do love you."

His eye crinkled in a smile. "Good."


	12. Consequences

Prompt from WhiteScarecrow!

* * *

Consequences

"Congratulations!" they cheered as they drank to Naruto's recent promotion to jonin.

He laughed, puffing out his chest. "I mean, was there any doubt?"

"A lot, but you like beating the odds," Sasuke replied. In the background, there were a few agreeing nods. In response, Naruto leapt onto his friend's back and locked an arm around his neck.

Kakashi was also at the party, watching the merry making from a safe distance, when Sakura found him. She forced two mugs of beer on him, announcing, "Beer hands! You can't put them down until you finish."

"Uh." He looked down at the new found condition afflicting his hands. "Really?"

"Yes." Her grin widened. She swayed a little, telling him she'd probably gone a few rounds of 'beer hands' herself. She pressed closer, murmuring, "And I'm going to watch you finish."

Kami, help him. Was he reading too much into it, or was that some kind of innuendo? He stepped away so that he wasn't close enough to notice the warmth she radiated. He figured the fastest way to end this and maintain both of their dignities would be to do as she said (a conclusion the members of Team Seven came to frequently). He chugged.

And chugged.

And chugged.

Loud cheers erupted around him. More drinks were pushed on him. He lost count of number of alcoholic beverages he'd downed. The room started to spin. All the while, Sakura was still there, encouraging him, and it was getting harder to remember why he would want to keep his distance.

She got distracted, turning away from Kakashi. "Naruto—I want to show you—oof." Kakashi grabbed her wrist and tugged her onto the couch.

He put his head on her lap, sighing happily. "That's better. I'm so dizzy."

"You've had a lot to drink," she said, stroking his hair.

"I know." He sounded pitiful.

"You're so cute when you're drunk."

"I'm the fucking Copy Nin. Don't call me 'cute.'" He turned over, pressing his face into her stomach, breathing in her scent.

She giggled, tugging gently on his ear. "That tickles!"

"You smell so nice." His voice was muffled.

"Hm?"

"And you're so smart. And pretty. And I like your laugh," he said, reluctantly pulling away. He screwed up his face in concentration. "What else? Did I say that you're smart?"

"That's the first thing you said." She was blushing.

"Okay, good. Sakura, we should do this more often. I don't know why I thought it was bad idea before, but past-me is a dumbass.

She tapped his cheek. "Past-you did screw you over a lot."

"Right? He better not show his face around here. I'll mess him up."

"I'll point him out if I see him."

"Good. Now, Sakura, there's something I want you to promise future-me: go on a date with him. With me. With him?"

"With you." She went quiet, the hand running through his hair pausing. Then, she snorted. "You're drunk."

He sighed. "Yea, that does make the offer seem less credibill."

"Credible."

"I'm pretty sure it's credibill." He booped her nose. "Don't contradict your old teacher. That's how education works." He nodded to himself, impressed he could come up with something so wise.

"I have an idea to force future-you to go on a date with me."

"What's that?"

"It's an _amazing_ idea. If we wake up in bed together, there's just no going back from that, is there?"

"By golly, you're right. That'll show me!" Kakashi leapt to his feet eagerly, pulling her up with him. "Whose place is closer?"

"Mine. Let's do this." She took his hand.

They took two steps and fell, face forward, dead asleep. The next morning, Kakashi woke up, curled up next to her with his fingers tucked into the hem of her skirt and his legs tangled in hers. His head pounded from his hangover as memories of the night before came in blurry batches. His eye slid over to Sai, who was sitting on the armchair, face paler than usual.

"Why am I on the floor?" Kakashi croaked softly, not wanting to wake Sakura. He cringed. His breath smelled terrible.

Sai rubbed his face, suffering from the after effects of alcohol himself. "We tried to move you guys, but everytime we tried, you threatened that future-you would come in the middle of the night and kill our pets." He frowned. "Even I know that's messed up."

"Oh." Kakashi looked down at Sakura, snoring peacefully in his arms. He contemplated untangling himself from her. That would probably be the proper thing to do. He shrugged and snuggled closer.

Future-Kakashi could deal with the consequences.


	13. Rice & Caramel

I have two rain-based prompts, so this is the first one from WhiteScarecrow!

* * *

Rice & Caramel

Sakura stormed out of hospital. "I don't want to hear it!"

Kakashi was hot on her heels, grabbing her wrist so that she would face him. Fat drops of rain began to fall. Her hair clung to her pale skin as her eyes searched him. The water sapped away the heat of her body, leaving her cold and craving his warmth. Unconsciously, she stepped closer.

"You made your decision," she said, her voice shaking.

His gloved hand wiped away a strand of hair on her forehead. "I said I needed more time—it's not the same thing. Don't be unfair about this."

"Unfair?" She laughed bitterly. What was unfair was that this would happen to her, someone who was _always_ so careful about her birth control, that she would be part of the microscopic percentage of women the medicine would fail.

"It's—it's a shock. Can't you grant me that at least?" he begged.

She bristled. "And how do you think I felt, when you disappeared on me for a week without a word?"

That had been the longest week of her life, as she suffered through the initial morning sickness and cravings, alone in her apartment, being unable to tell anyone except the other person responsible for her condition.

"I'm here now, aren't I?" he said softly.

"For how long?" she demanded. "Until the next time something scares you and you run off again? Well that might be easy for you, Kakashi, but not all of us have that luxury. Some of us have to face our issues because we don't have any other choice." Maybe before this, she could have trusted him, but if his gut reaction was to run away—how, _how_ could she expect him to be there for her.

He pulled down his mask. Rain dripped down the tip of his nose as he inclined his head towards her. "Saying that I'm sorry isn't enough. I was—I was stupid."

She crossed her arms, narrowing her eyes at him. "I want you to say it anyway."

"That I'm sorry? I am. I'm so, so sorry." He took her by the shoulders. "Can we get you out of the rain first? It's probably not good for the—the you know…"

"The baby." She grit her teeth, annoyance flaring up again. How dare he try to avoid the term? She pivoted away from him, stepping beneath the shelter over the hospital entrance. Beyond the glass doors, the hospital lobby was nearly empty except for a snoozing receptionist sitting behind the front desk. The harsh lighting spilled onto the cement before her feet, like a shoreline frozen in place. She hugged herself, shivering.

Warm arms enveloped her from behind. She hated how the cold never seemed to affect him. She felt the faint graze of stubble from his jaw, telling her he'd forgotten to shave for a while. She heard his voice next to her ear. "I don't want you to do this alone."

"Do you think I can't?"

"You probably could, but why should you have to?" He took a breath that rattled in his throat. "If it makes you more comfortable—we don't have to be together like…like we were."

"Oh please." She snorted, turning around to meet his gaze. "We wouldn't last more than two hours before we end up in bed together."

"I don't know. Two hours is being a little generous," he said, pressing his forehead to hers. "Does this mean you're giving me a chance?"

"You can't disappear ever again," she stated flatly. "That is not allowed. Ever."

"Okay."

"And you have to make dinner at least half the time."

"Reasonable."

"Also for the last few days I've been craving rice mixed with caramel sauce so…"

"We'll pick some up on the way back."

She gave him a small smile, rising up on her toes to press a kiss on his lips. "You screw this up, I _will_ tell this child I found her in a bamboo grove."

"Understood." He laced his fingers into hers.

* * *

Note: I'd really appreciate it if you left behind a review, since I love hearing back from you! And send along another prompt, if you'd like.


	14. Tanline

Prompt from Cherryflowerblossoms!

Tanline

After a successful mission, Kakashi and Sakura were headed back home. The sun baked the earth, heat shimmering against the road. She was fairly certain her nose hairs were getting singed with every scorching breath. The inside of Sakura's nostrils smelt of something burnt. She coated on her third layer of sunscreen. Her skin tended to burn easily, turning an unsightly lobster red before shedding like a snake a few days later. She wasn't one of those beauties who were kissed golden by sunlight. Nope, she just got horribly scarlet and then went back to being sheet pale afterwards.

She held out the bottle of sunscreen to Kakashi. "You should put some on too. You're going to get a mask tanline."

"I put some one earlier. Besides, who is going to be able to tell if I do get a tanline?"

He had a point. So instead, she shoved the bottle back into her pack. "If this heat doesn't let up soon, I'm going to move into the lake."

"Don't you mean move near the lake?"

"No, I'm going to move _into_ the lake."

"Sakura, there are so many issues with that. How would you get your mail?"

"I'm not sure why that's your first concern." She laughed, nudging him with her shoulder.

"The integrity of the postal system is no joke."

They exchanged more thoughts on the pros and cons of living underwater until Sakura yelled, "I can't take it anymore. It's coming off!"

"W-what?" Kakashi sounded alarmed.

She unzipped her flak jacket, taking it off then folding it neatly into her pack. She wore a black tank top underneath that dipped, displaying a healthy amount of cleavage. Whatever. She was used to showing way more skin than that. Besides, if you got 'em, flaunt 'em. She stretched happily, appreciating the air touching the freshly exposed areas on her shoulders. Although, now she was worried she'd get burned there too. She could reach most of it, but her back was going to be more than a challenge.

"Can you put the sunscreen on my back?" she asked.

Kakashi stilled. He found himself once again staring at the bottle of sunscreen that she held out to him. He took it, looking as if he couldn't figure out what it was supposed to be. She quickly turned around, holding her hair up so that he could better access the spot between her shoulders.

She glanced back when she noticed he hadn't moved. "Kakashi?"

He slowly, slowly removed his glove as she impatiently bounced in place. That was the moment the first fat drop of rain fell on her hand. She dropped her hair, tilting her head to watch the clouds gather. A smile spread on her lips as she threw her arms out to accept the sudden onpour.

His reaction was different, flinching as he felt the rain on his scalp, soaking through his hair, weighing down the usually gravity defying strands. He shrugged his vest over his head. "We still have to walk a good five kilometers back."

"I don't mind. I was feeling super sweaty and gross anyway." She jumped into a puddle then twirled. "You don't like the rain?"

"Only if I'm inside and under a few blankets. I don't want to catch a cold," he grumbled.

"If you do, I'll just nurse you back to health."

"Usually I down a few bottles of cold medicine and knock out for a few days."

"Uh, please don't do that." Sakura wrinkled her nose. "My chicken and ginger broth has magical healing powers."

"Is that verified by science?"

"Just take my word for it." She bumped her hip against his. Laughter bubbled out of her as she took a good look at him for the first time with his vest over his head. "You're being ridiculous."

"Come join me." He shuffled closer, lurching forward like a clumsy monster, holding the edges of the vest open for her.

"No!" she shrieked, but he was too quick, wrapping the vest around her and trapping her against him. As her giggles subsided, she became aware of how much she liked his scent surrounding her. A heated blush rose to her face.

Her heart beat faster. She should step away. It didn't feel like a joke anymore and she didn't want to make a fool of herself. She almost stumbled backwards after intending to step away, but he caught her.

The rain should have chilled her, yet she was warm from head to toe. Why were they being so quiet, when only moments before they'd been laughing together? She was afraid to look up, afraid to see how he was looking at her: was it as a friend or as…something more?

"Damn it," she heard him say, then he gently tilted her face to his, the vest over them dropping back into place. Her eyes widened briefly before shutting to taste more of that kiss mingled with summer rain.

When they broke apart, they stared at each other, almost in surprise. He opened his mouth to speak, but she traced a line across his cheek.

"What?" he asked.

"Tanline."

#

Note: Something short and sweet! Send along a prompt if you'd like! Also, I'd love it if you left a review. Hearts, hearts, hearts.


	15. Welcome Home

Welcome Home

prompt from lockedmyselfupinaroom!

* * *

Two weeks away from Konoha, his bed, and Sakura, was enough to make any man cranky. Kakashi shed his filthy, ripped gloves as he climbed the stairs of his apartment, contemplating on just tossing them in the trash at this point. The rest of his clothes might go too. He opened the door to his apartment and sniffed the air, taking in the sweet, milky scent of a bath permeating every molecule of space, instantly gaining his interest. A lilting song drifted from behind the partially open bathroom door. When he let himself in, delicately perfumed steam washed over him, leaving him a little light headed. The first thing his attention caught on was of was one arched foot, raised above the cloud of bubbles. His mouth went dry.

"Welcome home," Sakura said. Her pink hair was piled loosely on top of her head, curling strands framing her face, clinging with moisture on her neck. He tilted his head to get a better view of her breasts, just tantalizingly hidden from him by foam. He was about to just get into the tub with her, tearing off his vest, when she raised a finger, stopping him. "Uh-uh. You can't come in."

He leaned against the sink, arms crossed. "Didn't you miss me?"

"I missed you terribly," she purred, leaning on the edge of the tub, resting her chin on her forearms. "But I want to be clean."

"So do I." Kakashi gestured to his filthy state.

Her nose wrinkled. "Go to the bath house."

"Why?" He kneeled down, so that his eyes were level with hers. Ah, that shade of green. Secretly, he claimed it as his favorite color. "I have a perfectly good bathroom right here."

"Currently occupied."

He tugged down his mask. "With room for one more?" He added hopefully.

"No."

He gave her a peck on the lips then pouted. She didn't close her eyes as usual, keeping them wide and unblinking to show that she would not be moved.

"Ha, you think this is my first rodeo, buster?" she smirked. She pursed her lips, hiding them.

That was her first mistake. He didn't need her lips to kiss. Her jaw could do just fine. He leaned forward, continuing his journey down her throat, ignoring her weak mewls of protest. He swung one leg over into the water. She didn't notice because she was distracted by his hand, which had dipped below.

Her back arched. Her skin, already flushed from the bath, glowed pinker. "This is unfair—ah!"

He settled himself between her legs, putting his arms around her middle. She cracked open her eyes in a narrowed glare at him. "Happy?" she asked.

"So very." He was in the tub, fully clothed, but he had his very naked girlfriend in with him. She currently looked as if she didn't know whether to hurt him or…

She sighed, stroking his hair. "Welcome home."

* * *

Note: I forgot I'd written about half of this and stuck it in my files to stew for a bit. Send along a prompt if you have any! Reviews are loved.


	16. Nemesis

Fluff Friday theme: Rivalry

* * *

Sakura gritted her teeth at the sight of that damned flag waving in the air. She ripped off her hat and threw it on the ground, cursing a steady stream as she brought out her pistol and shot it at the grinning face of a scarecrow stitched into the cloth.

"Looks like we got beat…again." Her first mate Naruto snorted back something wet in his nose and spat it into the sand.

"He knew we were hot on the trail—how did he get here before us?" She clawed at her eyes.

"The crew is going to be pretty steamed about losing their pay."

"I know, but we don't need to worry about that, because we're going to get our treasure back." She cracked her knuckles, staring out onto the horizon.

#

Sakura shouted into the conch, "You dirty, no good, rotten, son of a sea witch—get ready to find yourself at the bottom of the sea!"

"Good morning, Captain Haruno. It's lovely to hear from you as always." His voice came from the other side, watery and distorted because of the enchantment that carried the sound through the shell.

"That treasure was _mine_."

"Your name wasn't on it."

"Months of work and you just swooped in at the last moment. Who told you where it was?" She knew she had a rat on board and she had been picking through her crew, trying to decide who she could trust and who she couldn't. The only person she knew would never turn on her was Naruto—but only because he was too stupidly good hearted to take seriously.

"No one told me. I'm just everywhere at once all the time—always." There was a smile she could hear in his voice. "Does that scare you?"

"You have exactly ten minutes before I cannon your ship out of existence."

"Come and get it."

"I will! Naruto, get the crew ready."

Naruto leaned back in his chair, feet on the table. "Are you two sure you want to do that? How many sea battles have we fought just this year alone?"

"You're either with me or you'll walk the plank," Sakura growled. She pounded the table with her fist. The telescope and compass jumped against the wood. "He is my nemesis and he dies today."

"Funny how that never happens, huh?" Naruto grinned.

Her hated rival's voice spoke, "She's not committed to killing me. That's the problem."

"I am _so_ committed to killing you!" She jabbed a finger at the conch.

"As interested as I am in testing your word, your first mate has a point. I think my crew is rather tired of besting your sorry lot."

"You need to look at the scoreboard. I'm up by three." Sakura snatched a dagger and threw it at the wall. The blade embedded with a satisfying thunk into his wanted poster, joining several other pointed weapons already piercing the paper. Next to it was a sheet scrawled with counting marks, divided into two columns—one for her and one for him.

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Here's an idea—why don't you negotiate peacefully?"

"Negotiate?" Sakura said at the same time as the voice from the conch.

She crossed her arms, tapping her boot. "What kind of pirate do you think I am? Negotiate?"

There was a chuckle from her rival. "You couldn't match me in a battle of wits anyhow. It's no wonder you resort to brute force everytime."

"Are you calling me stupid?" Her voice went calm, but her eyes narrowed dangerously.

"While I don't deny that you have your moments of brightness, I have observed in the past your tendency to rely on your pistol rather than your tongue," he taunted.

Sakura went red in the face, picking up the conch and shaking it. "I'll show you how well I use my tongue!"

"I look forward to it."

" _Not like that_." She shoved the conch into its holding box, cutting off the connection. Her shoulders rose and fell as she struggled to control her breathing.

"I think that went well," Naruto said.

#

They left the details of the meeting to be worked out by their first mates. Saturday at high noon in a non-Commonwealth controlled port. A private room at the restaurant known as the Passenger.

"I don't see why I couldn't wear my normal clothes." Sakura scowled at her reflection as Naruto acted as her valet, brushing her fancy overcoat a few more times before declaring her ready.

"It's a nice eatery. You'll be turned away at the door if you show up in your dusty old boots."

Sakura stuck out her foot, the blacking on the toe gleaming in the light. "These pinch me."

"You should have worn them more often."

"I didn't have a reason before." She couldn't climb robes in these stiff cow hides. "Go over the exit plan with me again if things go south."

"I'll be by the door the whole time. We'll have a few of our crew eating on the main floor, blending in. More of us will be in the building across the street and will come out at the signal." He pointed down. "Don't forget there is a hidden blade in your shoe that'll pop out if you hit click your heels together."

"That's the only thing I like about these shoes." Hidden weapons could improve any otherwise useless footwear.

They walked out of her quarters together. She put her hat on as she straightened in the sun and rested her hand on the hilt of her blade. Her crew cheered her as she made her way to the gangway. She rolled her eyes. "Simmer down. Let's go get our treasure."

#

Naruto informed her before he closed the door on them, "I checked him for weapons. Good luck, Captain."

Kakashi swaggered in, hat under his arm. He was wearing clothes she'd never seen him in before. His coat was gray with a black trim and gold buttons—real gold as far as she could tell. The waistcoat was of a fine cut, showing off the narrowing silhouette of his torso, drawing her eye to a rather tight pair of britches that displayed his—she tore her gaze away.

Sakura stood up, growling at her nemesis, "You're late."

"My apologies—I had to say goodbye a lovely woman who was generous enough to keep me company last night." He sat down in the chair as if he owned it.

She tilted her head back, calling to the heavens for patience. She sat down. "Enough talk. Let's get down to business."

"Impatient as always." He picked up the menu, perusing through the options. "I think I'll get the beef course. It comes with their hazelnut soup—I particularly like it here. Did you decide already?"

"I'm going to get the beef."

"We can order the same thing. There aren't any rules against that."

Her lips thinned, knowing that any argument she had would only make her sound petty. Shortly after, the waiter came in and took their order.

"What is your recommendation on the wine?" Kakashi asked.

"We have a lovely vintage red from a winery located in Fire Country," the waiter answered.

"Isn't that a coincidence? Sakura, would you like like that?" Kakashi smiled beneath his mask, explaining to the waiter, "We're both from a small village there."

"I don't care about wine," she said evenly.

"Excellent then. We'll take that." Kakashi handed his menu to the waiter. When they were alone again, he said, "I visited recently. Your family is doing quite well, thanks to your gifts."

"I know." She hated his familiarity with her past. Why, why did this pampered little prick leave the village and take up residence on the sea? The ocean was a vast place, but not when he was around.

"The old cherry tree isn't there anymore. It had to be cut down a few years ago."

Her heart thumped. Unconsciously she touched the scar below her right ear. "That's a shame. I loved that tree."

"Some nice memories under it."

She frowned.

"I remember how you got that," Kakashi said, gesturing to the scar. "I can't believe it was so long ago."

"It _was_ a long time ago. Very long." The past was the past.

The first course was brought in before he could say anything else. She spooned the soup into her mouth, glad to leave talk about the old days behind.

"That blond fellow is still your first mate?" Kakashi asked.

"Yep."

"He seems loyal."

"I trust him with my life."

He hummed and nodded, the muscle in his throat standing out. "Interesting."

"What," she said through gritted teeth.

"Your tastes have certainly devolved."

"That's none of your business." She snorted. "Also, you're one to talk. I've seen your choice of whores. That's why you need that treasure isn't it? Prostitutes are expensive."

"I don't need to pay someone to share my bed. They come to me _very_ willingly. And then they come some more."

"The key to a believable lie is to add at least some element of truth." She picked up her glass, swirling the liquid and holding it up before gulping the whole thing down. She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

She smiled smugly as his mouth opened to retort, but the door opened and the next course was brought in.

"I'm surprised you are aware of the concept of truth," Kakashi said, glowering. "It's closely tied with knowing how to keep a promise."

"You want to talk about promises?" She slammed her hand down on the table.

He stood up, pacing closer to her. "Is that blond asshole the reason you left me cold at the altar? Or was it some other bastard?"

"How dare you?" She rose up too.

"How dare I? Two years we've been at this. No explanation. I dare very much since I want some fucking _answers_."

"I don't owe you a thing." She jabbed his chest.

He seized her wrist, yanking her closer, bringing his face to hers. "Tell me anyway."

"Why?" She squeezed her eyes shut. "You don't care. You've never cared. Your favorite thing to do is to parade your lovers—"

He tore down his mask and kissed her. She leaned into him, draping her arms over his shoulders, a small sound escaping from her lips. Vaguely, she heard the clatter of dishes breaking on the floor and then he pushed her up onto the table. He squeezed her breasts then drew his hands down her torso, grinding his hips between her legs. Gods, she hated him, but her body craved his touch, falling back too easily into a passionate rhythm she tried time and time again to forget.

"I'm sorry," he said, breaking away, panting. "I'm sorry—please just come back home with me."

She blinked, studying him with wariness. There was the desperation of a man at his wit's end in his eyes. Was it some kind of trick? He had never outright confronted her like this before. She decided to test the waters. She said quietly, "I know about Kurenai."

"What?" His brow wrinkled.

"You were still seeking her out when we were betrothed."

"I…That was before I knew you. I was angry about the arranged marriage."

"It's not like you proved yourself out here either. All you do is brag about how many you've bedded."

He sighed. "I was clearly lying to make you jealous." He suddenly pinned her with a look. "What is Naruto to you?"

"Why do you care?" she challenged.

He gripped her tighter. "I hate him."

She laughed, her first genuine one since this meeting began.

He pressed kisses on her face. "Please forgive me. I was an idiot. I'm more in love with you now than ever and I've chased you across seven seas for two years."

She had been angry with him for so long, she was almost afraid she didn't know how not to be. She breathed, "I'll think about it. Say that you're an idiot again."

"I'm an idiot."

"And say I'm the better captain."

"Now, that is too much to ask."

#

The waiter hemmed and hawed in front of the door when Naruto blocked the way.

"You don't want to go in there," Sasuke, Kakashi's first mate, stated.

"But…the next course?" The waiter held up the covered platter.

"I think they're finished with lunch," Naruto said.

"So I should bring the bill?" the waiter asked weakly.

"No, they're still eating," Sasuke said.

The poor waiter turned red, pivoting and walking away without another word.

Naruto and Sasuke bumped their fists in silent congratulations. Things should be a bit more peaceful between their crews from now on, at least for a while.

* * *

Note: I'm a lot more active on AO3 so drop in over there or my tumblr! This was posted weeks ago on tumblr and I'm only just now putting it up here... Also on AO3 is a lot more SMUT ya heard? My newest fic Another Life is exclusively up there.

As always, please leave a review!


	17. Noise Complaint

The bachelorette party was in full swing in a quaint tea room.

A well-tended rose garden filled the view from every window, the blossoms of white tinged with pink weighing down each long stem in a glory of unfurling petals. Peach toned drapes held back by golden cords framed the flowers on the other side of the glass. A freaking _butler_ in white gloves stood at attention in the corner.

Sakura nibbled on her tiny finger sandwich, listening to the faint classical music that was piped into the room through discreet speakers hidden among the potted plants. Tenten had picked the location well, in deference to Hinata's personality. A quiet gathering of the bride-to-be's closest female friends in a setting straight out of a time when a British queen was Empress of India.

Flakey pastries filled with jewel-like jellies and jams were carefully arranged on tiers of silver platters on the table. Everyone absently picked them off, unable to resist their sweet siren call. Sakura wished she could live here, if that was possible. Whenever her gold rimmed tea cup ran low, a server in a starched maid uniform appeared like magic to top her off. She happily added too many cubes of sugar into her tea, telling herself she could indulge on Hinata's special day.

"Please do this for me when I get married," Sakura said to Ino, who sat to her right at the circular table.

Ino snorted, swallowing her bite of pastry and dabbing her lips delicately. "That's a negatory, Forehead. I want to wake up in a foreign country with no idea how I got there the next morning."

"But it's going to be _my_ bachelorette party, not yours." Sakura scowled.

"It would be your mistake for choosing me as your maid of honor."

"Maybe I won't."

"You wouldn't dare, bitch."

Sakura rolled her eyes, but didn't deny it. She glanced over at Hinata, who was smiling faintly at her tea. "Are you all right?"

"Oh?" Hinata startled, setting down the cup with a quiet clink. "Of course. This is all so lovely. Tenten did an amazing job organizing it."

"You're not getting cold feet about Naruto, are you?" Ino asked.

Hinata flushed, her hands fluttering in denial. "No, no. I just…well never mind. My family would never approve anyway."

Sakura cringed at the mention of the Hyuuga. Old money with old fashioned ideals. It had taken a long time for them to accept Hinata's decision to marry Naruto, three years, in fact, after the actual engagement happened.

"Come on, Hinata. It's your day. No one's going to tell your father about it." Ino winked.

Hinata giggled behind her hand. "Well, there was that one thing I told to you all about that night I had a little too much to drink."

Tenten steepled her hands, a grin growing on her face. "Ah, yes. The male stripper experience."

"B-but it would be so crude. I could never ask—"

"God bless the Queen!" the man who had been dressed as the butler declared as he ripped off his jacket and swung it in the air like a lasso. He tossed it at Temari who had been sitting closest to him then tore off his pants, revealing a tiny pair of leopard print speedos. The elegant music made a rapid change into a heart thumping rhythm of electronic beats. All of the women screamed in delight.

Hinata buried her face in her hands, laughing so hard her shoulders shook. "I can't believe it."

"Welcome to your bachelorette party," Tenten said, turning Hinata's chair to face the stripper.

Sakura turned to Ino. "Did you know this was going to happen?"

"No!" Ino slammed her palms repeatedly on the table in approval.

Several bottles of champagne later, the noise level in the room had reached a level comparable to a mosh pit at a rock concert. Sakura took secret satisfaction in the knowledge that if Hinata's father ever found out about this event, he would pop a blood vessel in his eye.

The maid appeared at the entryway of the room, followed by two men in police uniforms. "Sorry to interrupt, ladies. It appears there was a complaint about the music."

The brown haired 'officer' stepped forward. "That's right, I'm going to have to ask you to keep the—"

"There are more!" the woman nearest to him grabbed his arm and sat him in the chair she had been occupying. Her table mates encouraged her as she draped her body over him.

"Sakura gets the other one. She's been a party pooper," Ino slurred, yanking her friend out of her seat.

Sakura rolled her eyes. She supposed she had just been observing so far. She should let loose a little. After all, she was stuck working at the hospital for most of her waking hours. When would she get another chance to be wild like this?

It didn't hurt that the stripper cut a nice figure in his borrowed uniform. Most of his face was hidden behind a pair of imposing aviator sunglasses, but she could see his lips curling into an amused smile as she pushed him into an open chair and put her arms loosely around his shoulders.

The alcohol made her more daring than usual. She took off his cap, putting it on her own head and winking at him. The shock of silver hair that had been underneath sprang back into place. She stepped between his legs, turning around and undulating her hips in time to the pulsing music, but not actually touching him. His body heat radiated off of him and she heard the quiet intake of his breath.

She faced him again, taking off his glasses, seeing for the first time the ravenous look in his eyes that had been hiding behind the mirrored shades. It was like a sudden blast of heat when opening an oven. She stilled, her mouth going dry. The music and shouts from her friends dimmed in the background. In a trance, her gaze lowered to his lips as she forgot completely what she had been about to do.

"Wait a minute." Tenten suddenly sat up, sobering for a brief moment. "I didn't order three strippers."

Sakura snapped out of it, jerking back to reality. She looked at the man beneath her in suspicion. "Then who—"

He rose up and kissed her, pressing her body tightly to his solid frame. Her tongue nearly sizzled as she tasted him, clutching at him, breathing in his scent and needing _more_. She shoved him back into the chair, seating herself fully into his lap. He groaned in approval and his hands moved possessively down her thighs.

She shoved the tiny voice of reason in the back of her lust addled mind and proceeded to lose herself in the exquisite sensations she created with him. Already, she could feel the hard press of his erection through the front of his pants, sending an electric thrill through her.

"Kakashi." Someone coughed, much to her annoyance.

It took a few moments for the man to answer and even then, his tone was laced with venomous threats. " _Yes?_ "

"We're on duty," the other man who had walked in with Kakashi said. The brass name tag on his uniform read 'Shiranui Genma.'

Sakura blinked as she climbed off. She went red, noticing that every person in the room was staring with blatant interest at them. "So you're actually police officers?"

"Yes, but I'm seriously considering a change of career right now," Kakashi said. He stood up, adjusting his pants in discomfort. "Why were we here again?"

"Noise complaint," Genma responded, the toothpick between his lips twitching.

"Ah." Kakashi sighed. "Well, that didn't go as expected. Thank you, ladies, for your cooperation." Before he put on his glasses again, he leveled a meaningful glance at Sakura. "Especially to you, miss."

"Get his number!" Ino voice came from somewhere in the room.

A light flush dusted his cheeks. "I'll just leave my information with you in case you have any problems." He produced a fairly plain business card, turning it over and scribbling down a phone number. "That's my personal…if you can't get a hold of me."

As the two officers walked out of the tea room, Genma loudly commented, "Since when were you so dedicated to the community?"


	18. Big and Small

Kakashi sat across the table from his wife, inhaling the steam rising from his mug of coffee. Her green eyes brightened in a smile as they met gazes.

Pictures on the walls of their home marked big moments. Their wedding. The first picture of their daughter at the hospital. The first time they moved into their house. All moments that Kakashi would look back on and know they defined his life for the better.

Sakura grinned slyly as she snapped a photo of him. Where had she been hiding the camera? He blinked, tilting his head. "What was that for?"

"Just because."

He reached over, lacing their fingers together. "We're not even doing anything right now."

The kids were still asleep upstairs. It was just the two of them, enjoying the stillness of the morning before the rush of their day began.

"It's still important," she insisted, leaning over and pressing a kiss on his lips.

Big moments defined their lives, but it was the small ones that made his heart full. He chuckled.

"Yea."


	19. Champagne (At Midnight)

Note: Written for Smut Monday!

Sakura leaned against the balcony, staring at the city lights with an impassive expression. The chill left goosebumps on her skin. The slinky dress she wore did little to provide protection against that, but she would rather be out here than back inside with the New Year's Eve party going full swing.

The breeze played with the loose strands of hair that had fallen free. The press of the bobby pins against her skull became too much. She began to pluck them out, one by one, not caring that she would appear like a mad woman to the others. She lined up the newly free pins on the railing in a row.

Six months ago, Kakashi had left to supervise an important project overseas. It was the first time they had been apart since they had started dating. She did her best to live her life while he was gone. Work. Friends. Going to the movies alone (to make a point to herself that she didn't need him to do that.) Much of her determination came from the fact that she didn't _want_ to rely on someone else to complete her. Kakashi wouldn't want that either.

She ate decently…barring the occasional binge on pizza and ice cream with Ino on movie nights. And, she made it a goal to drink at least four huge water bottles a day.

Then she would sit at the table with her breakfast of avocado and multi-gran wheat toast and there would be no one there to try and steal a few bites from her.

Or she would down her water bottle and text him to remember to stay hydrated because sometimes his only liquid for the day would be caffeinated. Only she would realize after sending the text that it was probably too late into the night on the other side of the world.

There were so many things that she could do and take care of on her own, but…but…

Tears she could not stop sprang out her eyes. She hastily wiped them away, fearing her make up would smudge.

 _She missed him_.

She finally admitted it to herself. This man, this silly, handsome, terrible, wonderful man, had somehow, in less than the span of time it had taken her to finish her residency at the Konoha Hospital, become so important to her.

The sliding window behind her opened, momentarily releasing the sounds of animated conversations fueled by alcohol before shutting again. She steeled herself with a deep breath and turned to face the newcomer. Her stomach dropped.

"Surprise?" Kakashi stood there, holding two glasses in one hand and cradling an enormous bottle of champagne in the crook of his arm.

She closed the gap between them, barely registering that he stooped to place the glasses and the bottle on the ground before catching her in his arms. She covered his face with kisses, leaving bright red lipstick marks all over.

He brought them up against the wall next to the window where the wouldn't be seen. It was only after he slipped his fingers inside her, touching her exactly as she had wanted to be touched, that her lust addled mind thought to ask, how close was it to midnight? The question was answered shortly when the party-goers began to chant a countdown to the New Year.

"Ahhh…Kakashi. They're—they're going to come out here…" She panted, clawing at the jacket of his tailored tuxeo as she clung to him. The fireworks. They would come out to see the fireworks.

"Don't worry about it." He ran his tongue along the shell of her ear.

She was so close, she couldn't have worried even if she wanted to.

Kakashi continued, "You're going to come watching the fireworks and scream my name."

Another flush of heat threatened to consume her because of his words. He ended up being right on both fronts. She threw her head back as multicolored sparks burst against the canvas of the night sky just as the sparks in her own body went off too. The thunderous booms that followed did well covering up the gutteral way she moaned his name, but she knew he heard every syllable.

They slumped back together against the wall, catching their breaths. Gently, she unhooked her leg which had been wrapped around his hip. Her common sense returned to her with a vengeance and in a panic she turned to the window, fully expecting an audience to be standing there. To her relief, the curtains were drawn. Oh.

"I warned Naruto beforehand." Kakashi shrugged as he sucked his fingers clean, an act she found excruciatingly fascinating despite her rising embarrassment.

"So, everyone's going to know anyway." Sakura covered her face and laughed.

"Oh yea." He went over to pick up the bottle of champagne and the glasses. "That's why I brought these. You can't be humiliated if you're too drunk to care. What should we toast?"

She adjusted her dress before accepting the glass. The bubbles fizzed in delicate columns to the top. "A toast to no more Skype sex."

He choked briefly, bringing a grin to her lips. He rolled his eyes once he recovered. "Really?"

She insisted.

"I guess I can't go on anymore long business trips then." He sighed, raising his own glass.


	20. The Bet

Smut Monday - December 5, 2016

Kakashi felt the wall against his back. The alley led to a dead end. There was no where to run. He had played with fire and was about to get burned…in the best possible way.

Sakura smiled coyly, slinking closer as she murmured, "Long time no see, huh?"

"Y-yea." He struggled to control his voice so that he wouldn't slip back into his natural tone. Damn Gai for this new challenge. They were supposed to see how many people they could fool into a conversation without giving away their true identity, but Kakashi had already hit a stumbling block on his very first target. Damn his hubris—he thought he could get a rise out of Sakura for fun, thinking of a time long ago when he had tricked all of Team 7 into going on a wild goose chase, much to his great amusement.

Kakashi had, of course, gone with a disguise he had used before, in the name of laziness, but now he was seriously beginning to regret that too. The biggest flaw in this plan was that Sakura remembered this persona all too well.

And she had plans of her own.

"Where have you been?" She traced little circles on his chest, invading his space and making him wish she'd invade him in other ways. "I looked for you, you know."

"I've been around. A lot of away missions too." He swallowed. What was her intent? Did she…have some kind of crush on his alter-ego? He stamped down the unexpected surge of envy for a man who did not exist.

"Oh." She pouted, pressing herself closer. His eyes almost rolled back into his head at the feeling of all her softness and warmth. "Well, I'm glad you're back."

Me too, he thought, his heart thrumming in anticipation. This was so wrong, yet he couldn't bring himself to reveal the truth. Her proximity was completely addling his mind.

Her hands went to the drawstrings at the waistband of his pants, her fingers ghosting over his stomach, close, so close, to where he needed her to touch him.

Wait a minute. He frowned. "Aren't you going out with someone right now?"

Him. She was going out with him.

Sakura had already crouched down and looked up at him, her eyes shining with mischief. "We have an understanding."

An understanding? No, they were supposed to be exclusive. He wasn't that type of guy. Was she doing this because she'd grown bored of him?

"Sukea," she interrupted his thoughts. "Sukea!"

"What?" he almost snarled. Fuck the the bet. He was going to take off this damn wig and ask her what the hell was going on.

"You and I have an understanding. Right?"

Sakura and Sukea had not even spoken for years before this meeting. The last time he had donned the Sukea persona, she had been a teenager. He had definitely not made any kind of advances on her back then. Understanding..an understanding…ah.

She was asking if he, as Kakashi, understood. Because she knew. And she wanted him to understand that she knew. This was sexual role play, which healthy, loving couples—ack—

He stopped thinking when she took his entire cock into her throat. Suddenly, he was very glad he hadn't lashed out and ended the game too soon. "Yes, please," he panted, his hand tangling in her hair. "Don't stop."

Vaguely, he was aware that someone could walk by at anytime. His plan in such a situation mostly involved him knocking that person out and having Sakura continue. He was surprised he was still standing. The heat of her mouth moving down the slick length of his erection was driving him off the edge. He didn't have enough time to warn her as the pressure building at the base of his spine finally released, his hips thrusting forward involuntarily. Through heavily lidded eyes, he watched her smirking as she pulled away, swallowing his entire load without spilling a drop.

"Fuck, Sakura." He covered his face with his hand. She was so hot and he wanted her again. Belatedly, he realized that he'd forgotten to modify his voice.

"Do you want to keep going here, or should we head home?" She pulled his clothes back into place, which he was grateful for, because he was content to let himself lay limp against the wall for eternity.

"Home is better." Where he could listen to her moan and whimper and no one could interrupt them. Bed. Naked Sakura. It was amazing how his desires could narrow down to such basics. Hell, he didn't think he even needed the bed.

"I'll race you back," she whispered in his ear. "Keep the wig on."

Note: Thank you to beyondthemoor for organizing!


	21. In The Closet

"I know you're afraid, but we can't hide in this closet forever," Sakura said. She adjusted her limbs so that their bodies fit better together. If she was going to be here, she preferred not having his arm squished up against her stomach or her knee bent in an uncomfortable position. Usually, she rather enjoyed trying to remove as much distance between them as possible, but carnal thoughts were far from her mind at the moment.

"Why not?" Kakashi reached over her and plucked a can of beans off the shelf, shaking its contents while holding it up to his ear. "It's well stocked. Efficient use of space—why do people even need an entire apartment? Wasteful."

"There is exactly _one_ can of beans—which I don't even know why it's in here because this is a utility closet. It's probably ancient and full of botulism," she huffed. Then she pointed to the light bulb which flickered above their heads like the eyelids of a drunk man about to fall unconscious. "And who knows how long that thing's going to last."

"Who needs light when we have our sense of touch?"

"Kakashi."

He put the can back and slid his hand down the curve of her hip. His voice became husky. "I don't need to see if I can feel you."

"Our friends probably have their ears pressed to the door," she replied flatly.

"It was obviously a warning." He glared in the direction of the unseen eavesdroppers standing outside of the closet.

Sakura let her forehead rest on his chest, sighing. "How long are we going to stand here?"

"How long until the sun goes out forever?"

She smacked him. "You haven't even answered me."

"There were a lot of questions since we entered. Be more specific." He played with the chain attached to the light bulb, tugging on it and turning it on and off.

He was avoiding looking at her, difficult given their proximity. The set of his shoulders were tight in his obvious discomfort. She knew it wasn't because of what she had asked, not exactly. It was more of how it had happened that made him instinctively go into hiding. At least he had taken her with him. Most of her irritation at his evasive responses melted away.

"I'm sorry I caught you off guard," she murmured, sliding her palms against his then lacing their fingers together.

The words had came out of her suddenly as he approached her so that they could go to lunch together, like he had so many times before. Like any other day. Ino was spying from around the corner, her blonde ponytail poking out. Sakura was just finishing her chat with Hinata, who was on her own way to find her husband. Shikamaru had been on his way out for a secret smoke break on the roof (that he thought no one knew about because he was supposed to have quit two months ago). In retrospect, she should have known that suddenly blurting out that they should get married while in the hallway of the administration building was bound to spook her boyfriend.

After Sakura's apology, Kakashi finally met her eyes, his lips quirking into a quiet smile. As handsome in a dimly lit closet as he was at home. Vaguely, she recalled the eyes of all the heterosexual women (and some interested men) turning to Kakashi when he made his entrance earlier. They had never seen his face before. Almost no one had.

She was certain about the way she felt about him and had been for some time now. She _knew_ that this was the man with whom she wanted to spend the rest of her life.

So it was in the busy hallway, in front of dozens of people, that she had uttered those fateful words. He then grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her into the closet where they stood now.

"My answer is yes, by the way," Kakashi said.

She smiled, laughing slightly. "I turned this into a mess. You deserve better."

"No, _you_ deserve better. I was planning to ask you next week." He pressed a kiss on the top of her head. "The ring is back at the apartment…I assure you it was going to be romantic beyond your wildest dreams. Now what am I going to do with the white doves I've been training for months?" He shook his head. "I made tiny tuxedos and top hats…"

"You surprised me enough earlier," she said.

"Hm. I suppose, the look on your face today was satisfying."

"Does this mean you're not going to wear the mask anymore?" She had never thought he would actually do it. As a joke, she had told him that if he ever got rid of it for good, she would have to marry him to keep anyone else from trying to make their claim. She wanted to kiss the bridge of his nose, right where his tan line sloped across his face, so she rose up on her toes and she did.

"We'll see. I might be too distracting to others." He encircled his arms around her waist, leaning down to press his lips onto hers.

His ass hit the shelf behind him ungracefully. When he straightened, he collided with the light bulb and lost his balance—a precarious thing to do in such a tiny area. He brought down Sakura with him and she grabbed for the first thing she could to try and remain upright. Unfortunately, this was the door knob.

They came tumbling out of the closet, a tangle of limbs. Kakashi had broken her fall and he was on the floor, wheezing after her weight had knocked the air out of his lungs. Sakura was busy trying to make sure that he was all right when she felt the burn of several pairs of eyes on her. She flushed, getting to her feet and helping Kakashi stand too.

"So, when's the wedding?" Ino asked, her lips stretched in a wide grin.

Sakura groaned.


	22. Past & Present

Kakashi squinted and his younger self squinted back. Was he ever this short? Hm, well he supposed he hit a growth spurt around age 14 or so, much like Naruto did. It was just amusing (and irritating) to see this much attitude on someone who didn't even reach Kakashi's belly button.

Past Kakashi was clearly unimpressed with this vision of his future. After a series of highly embarrassing revelations that only the real Kakashi would know, during which Sakura guffawed loudly, past Kakashi (around age seven, if they got the jutsu right), finally seemed convinced that they were the real deal. They were from the future. He crossed his arms and shook his head slowly at Present Kakashi, conveying his ultimate assessment.

"Brat," Present Kakashi muttered under his breath.

"I heard that."

Sakura ignored the both of them, going to the calendar hanging on the wall and examining the date. "It's the right month, so I hope this is the right year…" She raised a brow after noticing the picture. "Puppy photo calendar?"

"It was a gift," both Kakashis said at the same time.

Kakashi, the present one, so that this doesn't get confusing, remembered that particular calendar. It had been his favorite and when the year was done, he saved the photographs into a scrapbook. He'd later lost it, much to his displeasure. His fingers itched to roll up the calendar and see if he could take it back with him.

Sakura tapped on a range of days on the calendar. "So what is the date today, exactly?" Past Kakashi informed them and she sighed in relief because they were only a little bit early. The worry had been that they would have to jump back to the present and try again if they were off by months or even years.

"We can just wait around until the time comes." The tension in Sakura's shoulders melted away and she seemed to allow herself to indulge in her curiosity now that the mission was on track. She went right up to the bookshelf and began reading through the titles.

At least Present Kakashi knew that he was good at waiting. A few days were nothing.

Present Kakashi's attention went to the door. There was someone shuffling around downstairs in the kitchen, opening cupboards and humming an idle song. His heart clenched. Dad. He had tried to steel himself for this, knowing full well that they would encounter Sakumo at some point.

He watched his younger self sidle up to Sakura and picking out for her his favorite books and showing off a little about how much he knew despite his age. Present Kakashi might even have called it 'cute.' He was a cute kid. Back when he still was one. He'd forgotten that.

"You are way more advanced than I was." Sakura leaned down and pretended to ruffle Past Kakashi's hair.

"Pretty soon, I'll be able to go on missions with my dad and I'll be a jounin. Just like him." Past Kakashi sat on his bed on top of the shuriken patterned comforter. "I'll help us win this war."

The war seemed far away, in this room from the past with sun streaming through the windows. His favorite old toys were arranged neatly on the nightstand. The faint sound of the ice pop vendor selling his wares drifted by, followed by the sound of children giggling as they ran after him.

"But you're so young," Sakura said softly.

"I'm not that young. My dad said that he became a jounin when he was just a few years older than me. Older me knows that too."

Present Kakashi may not have remembered the exact year that he had a puppy calendar, but the year his father died was burned into his memory. Just fifteen months from now, everything would change.

"Kakashi?" Sakura looked up from the book, her expression concerned.

Present Kakashi shook his head roughly. "Spacing out. Must be the time travel."

"I can't believe I would ever tamper with time travel. What if you mess up something really big?" Past Kakashi pointed at the scar over present Kakashi's left eye. "Or maybe you should tell me something so that you can fix things. How did you do that to myself? It looks like it was painful and I'd like to avoid it."

Present Kakashi and Sakura exchanged glances.

"While we were told that nothing we do will impact the future, I don't think we should take that risk." Present Kakashi tapped his nose and winked.

The circumstances behind the scar were indeed painful, but who would Kakashi have been if it had not happened? Briefly, he wondered even if he could change things whether he _would_ and he felt like a selfish ass. His present had come at the cost of Obito and arguably his other friends as well. But lately, he realized that he'd stop regretting the past and was moving towards something that resembled acceptance. Maybe, just maybe, a little hope was there too. He stole a look at Sakura, who was busy again reading through the book titles.

"Wait, if you're not here to change things, then why are you here?" Past Kakashi asked.

"We need to read through a certain document that's been destroyed in our time. But it's not a perfect time travel method." Sakura demonstrated by letting her hand pass through the dresser near her. "We're incorporeal. No one can see or hear us but you. Plus, we're tied to Kakashi-sensei's memories—your memories—so we can't go anywhere without you."

"So you're ghosts that are haunting me," Past Kakashi concluded sagely.

"Ghosts are dead. Am I wrong?" Present Kakashi turned to Sakura for confirmation. They, on the other hand, were very much alive.

"Some ghosts aren't. Haven't you heard the stories about the people stuck in a coma while their spirits wander around?" Sakura walked around the room, passing through objects to amuse herself.

"Yea. She gets it." Past Kakashi nodded. Then, wistfully, "That looks really fun."

"It _is_. I wish I could pick stuff up to make it look like they're floating," she said and bent over to pick up a discarded scroll on the floor, only to have her fingers slip right through the covers.

"I bet that would freak out Gai."

Sakura turned sharply to Present Kakashi. "I need to see what Gai-sensei looked like as a child. For science."

"That idiot becomes a teacher?" Past Kakashi's jaw dropped underneath his mask. He blinked and addressed his older self, "Wait, she called you sensei too earlier."

"Force of habit." Sakura stuck out her tongue. "I was his student once, a really long time ago."

"Oh." Past Kakashi's smile dimmed. "I thought—never mind."

Present Kakashi knew exactly what his younger self thought. They both might be wearing masks, but Past Kakashi's face was too easy to read. The kid was going to have a long time to wait, unfortunately. Sakura wouldn't even be born for a few years at this point. And then it would just…take a while before he would realize, well, everything, and after that he'd proceed to agonize over their relationship for what felt like an eternity. They were still in an odd limbo. Shy looks. Brushing fingers. Secret jokes. Nothing really said out in the open, but it was there.

Present Kakashi watched his younger self fix an adoring gaze on Sakura and felt an urge to chuckle. _Me too, buddy. Me too._ He almost felt bad that there would be so much waiting involved for Past Kakashi.

Sakura beamed, her nose slightly scrunching as she silently mouthed, "So cute," over Past Kakashi's shock of silver hair.

He hoped, at least for him, there wouldn't be much more waiting left.


End file.
